


To Stranger Shores

by stepOnMeZenos



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Language Barrier, M/M, Male Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Masochist Zenos yae Galvus, Merman Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Mild Blood and Injury, Vaguely Alternate Universe setting otherwise as well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:40:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25975348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stepOnMeZenos/pseuds/stepOnMeZenos
Summary: The newest addition to Varis zos Galvus' menagerie is a merman, imported from the far shores of Othard.Zenos takes an interest in him, and decides to go for a dive.
Relationships: Zenos yae Galvus/Warrior of Light
Comments: 4
Kudos: 56





	To Stranger Shores

**Author's Note:**

> The file says I wrote this in June 2020, but to be honest, it feels more like June 2019...

The curtains draped around the large glass tank slowly pulled back, revealing crystal clear water filling the tank to the brim. The top had been fortified to keep the catch inside, but everywhere else had been polished and cleaned to easily allow all visitors to see what was inside. Aquatic plants littered the bottom. Kelp swayed softly in the current, partly obscuring the main attraction. 

The merman was much smaller than Zenos had anticipated, though perhaps he only looked that way because the tank was so vast. Upon the curtains receding, he flicked his tail once and propelled himself into the densest patch of kelp, but even so, he couldn't fully hide. There wasn't enough plant life to allow for it; clearly, Father had done his homework about how to construct the habitat. The merman's lustrous black scales shimmered in the spotlights directed into the tank from above. It was as if someone had taken a piece of the night sky and pressed it into the shape of a fishtail that seemed to extend far into the distance.

Zenos watched in silence as the other guests—all Garlean dignitaries, of course—wandered up to the glass cage and onto the scaffolding around it to get a better look at the captive. Merpeople were rare. Being able to display one would elevate Father's reputation to people who cared about such things in the future. 

The merman darted this way and that, crimson hair floating much like the kelp did, but there was nowhere to hide. The tank had been constructed in a way that anything inside would always be visible from some angles. The top, meanwhile, was fitted with openings too small for the merman to fit through that visitors could lower objects through, to tease the merman or incite him to do something. 

How… boring. 

Zenos remained where he was, seated in the front row that was soon vacated aside from him. His father shot him a withering glare as he passed him by, but did not say anything. It wouldn't have mattered anyroad. He was not going to pretend to feel any particular excitement about this. 

Some of the dignitaries had already climbed up to the top of the tank. One of them appeared to be holding a necklace and dangling it into the water below. Apparently he was a believer of the stories that claimed merpeople were easily ensnared with jewelry. 

And indeed, the merman abandoned his spot among the kelp and shot upwards with a lazy flick of his tail. Though it was hard to see at the distance, he seemed to crane his head this way and that, examining the necklace before reaching for it…

No, he was reaching for the dignitary's hand. Then a cloud of blood tainted the water, and the dignitary was pulled down onto the top of the tank until his entire arm was submerged in the tank.

Oh, and how he screamed. 

Perhaps this would be more interesting than expected. 

Zenos kept his eyes trained on the merman. His tail lashed out wildly as the dignitary's companions attempted to pull him back up, but to no avail. It was only when the merman darted back into the center of the room that the dignitary was able to roll away from the hole. The bleeding armstump showed what had happened.

Without weapons, the merman had dismembered him in record time. Now he hid out in the kelp again, perhaps chowing down on the flesh he had acquired. Zenos could not quite tell from the distance.

Even as the dignitary's pained shrieks echoed through the exhibition hall and riled up its other inhabitants, a smile spread across Zenos' face.

It was but a day later that Zenos found himself sitting on the scaffolding around the tank. The exhibit was, of course, closed to the public now; supposedly, Father wished to reassess the safety measures around the individual enclosures. Already the top of the tank had been fenced off, the holes in the tank ceiling hastily covered up with crudely hammered in boards. However, few servants would bar his path when he demanded entry, even against direct orders. They knew what would happen if they dared disobey him. His father's wrath was preferable, to them. 

The merman aimlessly drifted in the middle of the tank, unmoving, but looking at Zenos. 

“You're a savage, are you not?“ Zenos mused. There was no way for the merman to hear him through the glass, of course. The words were more for him than for the merman. “They say that of you—savage warriors beneath the sea, readily drowning any and all who enter your elusive territories. I see the stories were quite right...“

When he rose, the merman's eyes followed him, until he walked out of sight, up towards the top of the tank. The planks nailed over the holes were pathetically easy to pull off. Slapdash construction. How unlike his father to settle for something like this, even temporarily.

The merman had followed him within the tank and now looked up at him, head cocked. In confusion? Perhaps. Zenos ignored him for the time being, pulled the screwdriver he'd brought out of his pocket and began unscrewing the bolts holding the ceiling panel in place. With a grunt, he lifted the panel and tossed it behind himself. The clang as it collided with the tank ceiling echoed through the empty exhibition hall. A hole more than large enough for him to slip through now gaped above the tank. 

“Now we shall ascertain the truth behind the stories,“ Zenos said as he donned the diving gear. No suit, as he would not need one; the breathing apparatus would suffice. He'd never used one before, as no situation had ever required it, but how hard could it be?

On went the breathing mask and the goggles before he strapped the air cylinder to his back. One last experimental tug at the straps holding it all in place, and then he stepped over the edge and plunged into the cold water. 

Almost immediately, the merman began circling him. His movements appeared almost lazy, casual flicks and swishes of his tail or webbed hands, but he couldn't fool Zenos. If the merman wanted to, he would be upon him immediately. 

For the time being, however, it seemed that the merman was more curious than anything. He did not try to maim Zenos yet, nor did he make any motion to flee. 

If he was not going to start today's entertainment, then Zenos would be the one to do it in his stead. He swam towards the merman, who maintained the distance between them easily. When doing so threatened to back him into a corner, he darted around Zenos, back to the center of the tank. Though Zenos attempted to grab him, his fingers fruitlessly slid off of smooth black scales. 

Zenos growled into his mask. The merman deemed a worthless dignitary good enough to challenge, but not him? But no matter how quickly he tried to swim, the merman simply outperformed him here, in his native element. 

Was this entire venture a colossal waste of time? 

Then the merman… spoke, for lack of better word. It was an eerie sound, a multilayered droning that echoed through the tank, far louder than his diminutive stature seemed capable of producing. Was that the famed 'mer-song' Zenos had read about? The portent that spelled out doom for sailors daring to venture into their seas?

If it was meant to communicate anything, as some speculated, Zenos didn't understand it. But what did it matter? Words were cheap. 

When he swam towards the merman again, he circled Zenos, sank his fangs into his shoulder and began tearing at the air tubes.

Zenos laughed into his mask. Finally! 

He caught the hand grasping at the tubes. It was so tiny that he could have held on to two or three of them at once, and the merman, for all his swimming prowess, did not have the strength to resist. Instead, he doubled his efforts of mauling Zenos' shoulder.

Such delicious pain! And it was only intensified by the salt water entering the wound, adding an entirely new dimension to the sensation. It burned fiercily, the water around the wound attaining a delightful red tinge. 

He twisted until he could grab on to the merman's head and squeezed. The merman let out a warbling cry and began to thrash. The black tail colliding with Zenos' side momentarily stole the breath from his lungs, and amidst his coughing his grip loosened enough for the merman to slip free.

Blood oozed through Zenos' ruined garments as he turned around to face the merman, who had retreated back to a safe distance, eyeing him warily. 

“Come!“ Zenos yelled, though the merman probably didn't understand civilised language. “Show me more!“ He dove towards the merman again, and again he wasn't fast enough to keep up. The merman circled him, then darted in, sank his fangs into his left calf and then swam away before Zenos could kick at him, smacking him in the back with his tail in the process. The impact made Zenos spiral through the water, waving his arms to stabilise himself. Before he could, the merman slapped his tail against his head.

For a moment, Zenos saw double. He shook his head, which did a little to clear his vision, and then ducked under the merman when he rushed at him again. As before, however, he could not hold on to the merman's tail, and the attempt net him another stinging slap against his head. 

It was like a game of cat and mouse, or perhaps of shark and dolphin, and _he_ was the dolphin. The hunted. Outmatched. Prey for the shark.

Glorious. It was everything he had hoped for and so much more. His heart pumped like it had not in such a long time—pumped the blood right out of his body through the bite wounds. 

The next time the merman approached from behind, Zenos felt a sharp tug on his breathing mask. He yanked his head back, and though it collided with the merman's face, the water softened the movement up enough that it didn't dislodge him.

Then water instead of air rushed through the tube. Zenos barely managed to avoid breathing it in as the torn tube floated into his vision. He swam upwards towards the opening, but the merman grabbed ahold of his hair and pulled him towards the bottom of the tank.

Intending to drown him, was he? 

As before, Zenos caught one of the hands holding fistfulls of his hair and twisted it. This time, he would not let go.

In response, the merman relinquished his hair and pulled him deeper by his hand. This, however, brought him not only in sight, but also in grabbing range. Zenos reeled him in, then grabbed him by the throat. Perhaps it wouldn't cut off his airflow—Zenos had no idea how that worked, though he could feel the gills pulse under his fingers—but if he squeezed hard enough…

The pressure in his lungs grew. He wouldn't last much longer without air. A savage smile spread on his face. Would they go out together, perhaps? Would he drown while crushing his final foe's neck? What a wonderful way to leave this world that would be.

As darkness began to flicker before his eyes, the merman clawed at the hand constricting his throat without any success. Then he flicked his tail and swam… upwards… was it upwards? It was so hard to tell. And it didn't really matter anyroad. He wasn't dislodging Zenos…

Their heads broke through the surface. Zenos coughed and sputtered, let slip the merman and then slowly pulled himself out of the water onto the tank, where he lay filling his lungs with precious air—and laughing. Laughing and laughing and laughing. What a marvellous day! How fortunate he was that he was able to experience this! The world still spun around him, the wounds ached deeply and he could scarce draw enough breath, but oh, how his blood _sang_ , how his spirit soared!

When had he last felt so alive?

A splash of water. He turned his head. The merman had leapt after him and now crawled towards the edge of the tank, where there was no scaffolding. 

“Wait,“ Zenos wheezed as he scrambled after him. He caught up ere he could fall off the tank and pinned him down. Immediately the merman bucked, wildly lashing out with his tail, but out of the water he seemed to lack the maneuverability to throw Zenos off. 

He did, however, manage to sink his teeth into Zenos' lower arm. 

Zenos gasped, but didn't let go. He wouldn't let the source of such delirious pain and excitement throw himself off the tank to his death. No, what they had shared today needed to be preserved, that they might share it again in the future. And again and again and again! Even were he to lose his arm to this savage's fangs, he would not let go. 

Eventually, the merman stilled, relaxed his jaw and let go of his arm before spitting blood onto the tank and saying something in that eerie language of his. If it even was a language. There were hints of consonants in there that he could hear now, from up close; 'twas not merely wordless humming, like some scholars had suggested, but it held no meaning for him. 

“I don't understand you,“ Zenos said. “You won't understand me either, if you're even capable of that. But I won't let this end here. Not now. Not like this.“

Not before he had felt the rush of _life_ in his veins again. 

“Are you—“

“Why exactly,“ his father said coldly from behind, “am I finding you in my exhibit hall, bleeding and sopping wet, wrestling with my merman?“

And just like that, the joy drained from Zenos. 

“Father,“ was all he said in return, without looking up from the merman. 

“Answer me.“ Varis stepped around the merman and him, into Zenos' field of vision. The everpresent frown he wore like an accessory had deepened even further, painting harsh grooves on his face.

“I was curious.“ 

The merman hissed at Varis, tugging at the hand holding him in place. This time, Zenos let him go. He could hardly be blamed for not wanting to be near Varis. Though he was ready to grab him if he tried to throw himself off again, it wasn't necessary; the merman did not crawl away.

Varis scoffed. “That does nothing to answer my question. What are you doing here? Risking your life for no reason again? I can tell you went for a swim.“

“And what of it?“ Zenos asked. 

“You are my _heir._ How often must I tell you that you are not to engage in such things?“ Varis paid no attention to the merman baring his teeth at him. His eyes were solely trained on Zenos. 

Zenos didn't bother answering. He had, when he was younger, tried explaining why he did what he did, only to fall on deaf ears and be scolded for his recklessness. Varis, it appeared, had no interest in understanding his motives. Even so, he kept asking, as if he thought Zenos would answer something else if only he inquired often enough.

“Bah. What am I to do with you, boy? When will you grow up? If I'd acted up like you do, Grandfather would have—“ Varis motioned at the guards lingering at the edge of the tank. “Toss the merman back into the tank and seal it up.“

“No,“ Zenos said. His objection went unheard; these guards were more loyal to Varis than afraid of him. Thus, he rose and stood over his merman, defiantly staring them in the eyes. What was he even getting at here? He didn't know. All he knew was that he wouldn't let his father lock this marvellous creature away, never to be played with again.

Varis grabbed him and pulled. “Come on, boy, don't waste my time like that.“ 

Zenos tried to hold; he was stronger than his father, he had proven that time and again, but much to his surprise, he stumbled and was dragged away from his merman. Had he lost so much blood? He tried to free himself, but much like the merman, he could not. He had to watch as the three guards conspired to pick his merman up and throw him into the tank, then placed the panel back on and screwed it shut. The hole that remained, where he had torn off the crude cover, was too small to fit an entire person.

Separated, just like that. The echo of another droning song was just barely audible outside of the tank. Was the merman calling to him? Wanting to finish what they had started, and what his father had so crudely interrupted?

This wasn't the end of it, he thought as he tore free of his father and descended down the scaffolding, where the merman followed his steps within the tank. They would reunite, one way or another, and he would not let his father's insignificant, pointless concerns stand in the way.

The next day, Zenos stood on the doorsteps of the exhibit at the eighth bell sharp, the moment it opened. It ached to walk, with all the deep bite wounds he'd sustained, but that was all the more reason to go. 

As the first visitor, he stepped onto the scaffolding and then rounded the aquarium, so that he wasn't so easily visible from the entrance. Almost immediately, the merman swam up to where he settled down.

“Did you miss me too?“ he asked. He had barely been able to sleep for thinking of this marvellous creature. Merely seeing the way he effortlessly flew through the water was exciting. Oh, to dance with him again—but he could not, not now. Guards now patrolled the top of the tank, undoubtedly on his father's orders. It wouldn't be hard to simply take them out; if nothing else, pushing them off the tank would be easy, and for a moment, he felt an overpowering urge to do so and claim his prize. But no. He would bide his time a little longer, so as to not spur his father into action before he could execute the vague plans he had hatched while the chirurgeon had patched his wounds.

He placed a hand against the glass. The merman did not follow suit, but neither did he leave. Now that he was largely holding still, Zenos could admire him in his full glory. To think that such a tiny frame could hold such strength. If he had legs rather than a fish tail, he would have barely come up to Zenos' hips. His arms were thin like a dainty noble's, the humanoid torso slender, almost disproportionate to the long tail. And yet, in his native element, he had easily gotten the better of Zenos. It would have been a draw, had he not swum both of them back to the surface. 

“We'll swim together again,“ he said. “Wait a little longer. I will think of something.“ His father wasn't that smart. Though he would certainly expect Zenos to defy his orders, he couldn't foresee every possible action he could take. Sooner or later, Zenos would find a way.

It was almost imperceptible, but he faintly made out the mer-song through the glass. Or maybe he imagined it. What would he be saying? 'I believe you'? 'I'll be waiting for you'? Perhaps he could do research on mer-song in his spare time. Surely there had to be treatises on it somewhere in the extensive royal library.

“Do you have a name, I wonder? Would you tell me if you could? I am Zenos, though that is not something that ever meant much to me. Should you want to call me something else, I would not object.“

The merman gestured. He pointed at Zenos, then at himself, then made a wide circular motion with his other arm. 

_'You, me, and—'_

And then what?

Zenos frowned, then repeated the gesture. In response, the merman shook his head. Finally, a recognisable gesture. 

“Not this,“ Zenos murmured. “But then what? What are you trying to tell me?“

The merman darted up to the top of the aquarium, then back to where Zenos sat, then pointed again. 

Upwards. Out? The top was the only part of the tank that could be opened. _Up and out and you and me..._

“You want me to free you,“ Zenos said. “And then leave?“ 

The merman didn't nod. That was to be expected. Even if he could understand his words, he wouldn't hear them clearly through the glass. But it had to be what he meant, had it not? Surely he would not want to stay here, locked up to be gawked at by those who could not appreciate him. Foolish dignitaries, danging meaningless baubles into the water, as if they were observing naught but a circus animal trained to perform tricks in exchange for treats… infuriating. None of them appreciated what treasure now lived in this tank. 

“Then we'll do that. I will find a way to smuggle you into my personal airship, and then we leave this place behind. Find somewhere else to stay.“ Zenos nodded emphatically, to show he had understood. 

It wasn't a thought that ever had occurred to him. Simply… leave? Abandon everything and find a new life outside of the stifling imperial walls? But now that he considered it, it all clicked into place. Of course that was what he needed to do. Of course there was no future for him here. Still, baffling though it was that he hadn't realised how much joyous anticipation would fill him at the thought, he was glad he had stayed for so long. If he had left sooner, he would never have met his merman.

“It'll be a few days,“ he said. “I need to gather supplies, and find a way to get you out of there and into my airship. Then we can find a spot for us. Near the ocean, I gather? You are a saltwater creature, after all. I've not been near the ocean much. Father stationed me in the northern reaches of Garlemald once, but recalled me after a stint out in the snow. I do not know why he was so upset. Contrary to what he believes, I was not trying to end my life then, and it isn't as if I was not taught how to survive out in the frozen wilderness...“

He sighed. “But why speak to you of this? You cannot hear me, and there is no point in thinking about that episode. I wonder what your life was like. What forged you into a fierce warrior of the seas? Do you war among another? I know too little of your kind.“ Something to ameliorate while he planned their escape. But that was a concern for later. For now, he was with his merman, even if he couldn't be _in_ the aquarium, and that was all that mattered.

Unfortunately, his father just had to throw a wrench into his life again. 

Someone had undoubtedly informed him that his son had gone to see the merman again, and as a result, Zenos found himself swamped in work over the next few days. Patrols to coordinate, various pointless symbolic appearances, events requiring his attendance. None of it couldn't have been done by someone else. And yet, Varis demanded that he do it. 

Zenos sighed as he signed yet another stupid paper. It felt as if he had gone through a thousand thousand of them. A waste of time he could have spent on finalising his work to free his merman, or at least reading up on his kind.

He scrawled his signature and tossed the paper aside without even reading what it was about, or caring where it landed. Only another giant stack to go. Bah. Merpeople probably didn't have to deal with any of this. How lucky… 

Time for a break. That would get him scolded if Father caught him, but he was beyond caring. He tossed the pen down on the desk, scattering ink on the expensive wood, and rose. The air had grown stuffy over the hours. He walked over to the window and tossed it open. The temperature outside was frigid as always, but he had long since stopped being bothered by that. In a way, he welcomed it. Being cold was a noteworthy sensation in a life largely devoid of them… 

Hm. He would need something to wrap the merman in, perhaps. The airship hangar was frigid too, and he didn't know if merpeople even needed protection from cold air, but it wouldn't hurt to provide. And if he was taking a break anyroad, why not simply fetch some garments now? None of his own would fit even remotely, of course. He would need to go talk to his tailor. 

He left the study and headed into his parlour. One of his servants stood bent over the table, appearing to polish it, though it scarce needed it. Menial busywork, caring for fancy expensive furniture. No wonder the servants were all so dull of mind, if that was all they ever did. 

“Fetch Avestus,“ Zenos said. 

“At once, my lord.“ She bowed and scurried out immediately. At least some people weren't hells-bent on getting in his way; boring as she was, she made no attempt at talking back. He settled down on the chaise-longue to wait. Perhaps he should have gone back to signing forms. He would have been able to knock out quite a few. Frankly, though, he simply did not feel like returning to his 'work' so soon.

Soon enough, the door opened again and Avestus walked in, draped in bits and pieces of fibre as always. Normally such untidiness would not be tolerated in the presence of the royal family, but Avestus' supreme skill at tailoring net him an exception. 

“You called, Your Highness?“

“I need a new set of clothing,“ Zenos said. “A smaller size than I usually wear.“ 

“What size would that be?“ Avestus didn't waste any time asking what he needed it for. Another characteristic to appreciate in a servant. Curiosity was no virtue if it led to questioning their betters.

“I don't know the exact size or measurements. He stands about as tall as my hip next to me. It does not need to be a tight fit.“ 

Avestus bowed lightly. “Do you have any preferences for the style, cut or fabrics used?“

Did he? Not really. He had some distant idea of what was considered fashionable in court—as his father nagged him about following these trends for some reason—but that hardly mattered here. “Make it warm. They are to be outside clothing. No, on second thought—two sets of clothing with the same cut, one meant for indoors, one for outdoors. Breeches aren't needed. Add a long coat.“ 

Even at the unusual request of making attire without breeches, Avestus didn't blink. “It shall be done at once, my lord. Is it sufficient for them to be ready on the morrow?“

“Yes.“ He hadn't stashed travel provisions in his airship yet. Perishables lasted only so long, and he did not wish to subject his merman only to canned food and dry tack. Tomorrow would be just fine. 

Avestus would not speak of this order. He would assume that the garments were for a secret affair and thus remain silent. However, news of him being called would still eventually reach Father. And if he wasn't going to stop his break here, why not simply procure the remaining resources he needed before he could leave with his merman?

Not long after Avestus had left the room, he, too, headed out. 

The royal kitchen was not too far from his suite.

“Why exactly,“ Varis asked, “have you not finished the work I assigned to you?“

“I decided to take an extended break.“

Varis rose from behind his desk and rounded it. Still a smidgen taller than Zenos, he stood and glared. “Don't play games with me. Why did you not finish your work?“

“I decided to take a break,“ Zenos repeated. “That is all.“

“And during your break, you thought it would be fun to requisition travel provisions from the kitchens, is that it? A new hobby, perhaps?“

Hm. That had spread quickly. Varis had an informant among the kitchen staff, then? Most servants weren't quite as fast to blab about Zenos' actions. “Yes,“ he simply said. 

Varis frowned—moreso than usual. “Do you take me for a fool?“

“Yes.“ 

No real reaction. A slight twitch in Varis' face, no more. How surprising; his father was usually less adept at hiding his anger. 

“Even if I _were_ a fool, I would see through you. You want to take that merman and flee with him. Is that it? You'll abandon your duty and obligation to Garlemald for what? Your silly little infatuation with a beastman?“ Varis moved his face closer. “Listen, foolish son of mine. You will stay here where you belong, under my command. You will not be given leave to run off like this. If you persist with this folly, then I will simply get rid of the merm—“

A single slap across the face was all it took to shut him up, but for good measure, Zenos kicked the legs out from under him and then placed a foot on his chest.

“You will not,“ he said. “I will kill you with my own hands if you dare cause him any harm.“ He had not, prior to this day, considered laying hands on his father, annoying and bothersome though he might be, but now? He would snap his neck with glee if so much as one scale on his merman was left in disarray. 

“You would kill me just for that?“ The look Varis gave him was downright shocked.

“Are you so surprised? What reason do I have to value your life? It matters naught to me. If you are attached to your piteous existence, you will _not_ stand in my way.“ To drive his point home, Zenos shifted weight onto his foot until his father had to labour to keep breathing. Perhaps it was even enough to make his ribs creak under the pressure. “Do you understand, Father?“

Varis clawed in vain at the foot cutting off his breath. “Get… off me!“

“ _Do you understand? _“__

__“Yes!“_ _

__Zenos lifted his foot. Immediately, Varis scurried away some distance. Disgraceful. “Then you will not stand in my way, or I shall cut you down where you stand. Or lie, if that is how you wish to fade from this world.“_ _

__Varis shouted an answer or another after him as he stepped out of the room, but he didn't listen. His father's words no longer mattered; not now and not ever again._ _

__Though he hadn't planned on rescuing his merman until night had fallen, now was as good as any other time, was it not?_ _

__With springing steps, he marched off to the menagerie._ _

__

__

__“My lord, please—I was ordered not to let—“_ _

__Zenos wordlessly shoved the guard off the tank. His scream abruptly cut off upon landing on the ground. The other guards kept a respectful distance after that, and did nothing to try to stop Zenos from pulling open the tank once more._ _

__His merman was already there, floating on the water's surface. Waiting for him. He stretched out his arms, and Zenos grabbed them and helped him pull himself out of the tank before wrapping his arms around him and standing up again. He was so easy to carry. Light as a feather, almost, and living and breathing in his arms. What a splendid sensation._ _

__“We'll leave now. For good. And then we'll find a place to stay at, together...“_ _

__The merman said something. Zenos didn't know what, but it was probably an affirmation._ _

__Without further delay, he descended from the tank, past the confused stares of the menagerie's patrons, and towards the airship. It was but a short walk. The menagerie was designed to show off to visiting dignitaries, and they were meant to be ushered here quickly upon arrival._ _

__The entire time, the merman kept craning his head this way and that, taking in every detail. Why? The royal palace was boring beyond belief. What interest could he possibly have in it?_ _

__It didn't matter, Zenos decided. Soon they would leave this wretched place behind and go somewhere more pleasant. Where that would be, he didn't know, but in truth, anywhere would be better than here._ _

__His father awaited them at the airship hanger. He stood beneath the open hatch to Zenos' personal airship, unmoving._ _

__“Have I not been clear, Father?“ Zenos asked._ _

__“Oh, you have been abundantly clear, you misbegotten excuse of a son.“ Varis didn't step aside, but neither did he make any motion to approach Zenos and his merman. “I am here to tell you that you need not come crawling back when you realise that life is difficult without the many priviledges and luxuries afforded to you for all your life, deservedly or not. Step inside the airship and fly away, and you will not be welcome here again.“_ _

__“What of it?“_ _

__“You'll see,“ Varis said. “Once you are no longer sheltered from the consequences of your actions, once you need to work for your survival instead of frittering away your time on pointless suicidal endeavours, then you will come to regret your choice. And by then, it will be too late to undo it.“_ _

__The merman spared Zenos the need for an answer by spitting on the ground before Varis. It demonstrated what Zenos thought about him rather accurately._ _

__Unwilling to wait any longer, Zenos stepped forward, roughly pushing his father aside as he ascended the ramp into his airship. At least Varis hadn't tampered with his supplies. The crates were still sealed. Experimentally, he nudged the fridge door open. Rows and rows of fish to feed the merman, neatly lined up. All in order. Good._ _

__As the ramp rose up to close the entrance, Zenos vaguely heard his father call out, “One day I will figure out where I went wrong with you!“ Then the ramp clicked into place, cutting off all sound from outside._ _

__“Let us find a place for ourselves now,“ he said to the merman, who answered something he couldn't understand. He would learn. As with all travel, there would be long stretches of having little to do. He had dreaded these times previously, but now… now he had something worthwhile to do. Once, he would have scoffed at the idea that speaking with someone who could not understand nor make himself understood could ever be interesting. Now, he knew better._ _

__The merman didn't stop talking while he carried him to the cockpit and sat him down in the copilot's seat. Neither did he resist, though, which Zenos took to be a sign that he did not object to what was happening. He did, however, spend a significant amount of time rearranging his tail, and even then kept shifting this way or that. It seemed that chairs were not to his liking._ _

__He stilled when Zenos turned on the airship engine and a soft rumble went through the cockpit._ _

__“Off to a brighter future, my friend,“ Zenos said. The airship took off, out of the hangar and towards the south._ _

__A nice coast, perhaps; a beach on which he could dwell and go for a swim with the merman whenever he pleased…_ _

__

__

__Later, when the airship was at a stable altitude soaring through the clouds, the merman emphatically pointed at himself and said something._ _

__His name?_ _

__Zenos tried to repeat it with no success. The strange ebb and flow of the word eluded him, and though he could faintly hear what sounded like consonants to him, he struggled to repeat them._ _

__The merman repeated himself. The first syllable—if it was that—started low, then the second rose high, and the third and final syllable dipped just a little. It helped that his voice wasn't the eerie echo coming from every direction at once out of the water, but…_ _

__When Zenos tried to emulate the sound, the merman laughed—or at the very least, it sounded like laughter. For all Zenos knew, it could have been another word._ _

__However, he didn't seem to be offended, for he returned to teaching Zenos right away. This time, the sounds came out clearer, the consonants easier to hear._ _

__“Sorkhatu?“ he tried. The name felt strange on his lips, but oddly… fitting. Sorkhatu. 'Twas a good name for his merman, to whom he would not need to refer to as such any longer._ _

__Sorkhatu nodded enthusiastically, then pointed at Zenos and cocked his head. The intent was clear._ _

__“Zenos,“ Zenos said. It was as good a first step to understanding each other as anything else, was it not?_ _

__

__

__By the time he landed the airship to take a break, night had already begun creeping over the land. The southern course Zenos had taken had led them to an inlet surrounded by a rocky shore that offered just enough space for the airship to touch down._ _

__Sorkhatu soundly rejected the garments Zenos had prepared by repeatedly shaking his head when Zenos tried to hand them to him. Was the issue with this clothing in particular, or did he simply not need them at all?_ _

__He wouldn't know anytime soon, but it was up to Sorkhatu in the end._ _

__Zenos opened the hatch and carried Sorkhatu outside, setting him down on the soft sand so that he could both catch some fresh air, before returning inside to grab something to eat. Fish for Sorkhatu, of course, though he should perhaps heat it up a little. Merpeople would not be accustomed to eating food at refridgerated temperatures, would they?_ _

__While he waited for the fish to warm, he retrieved some slices of hard tack from his own provision and nibbled away at them. Feeding oneself was an onerous necessity. This way, it was at least faster than the pointless lavish banquets his father had forced him to attend._ _

__Once the onboard cooking system dinged to signal that the fish was ready, he took the plate outside._ _

__Sorkhatu wasn't sitting by the rocks where he had left him._ _

__Instead, he was at the distant shore, dragging himself into the waves. Leaving._ _

__The plate clattered to the ground as Zenos broke into a run, covering the distance between him and Sorkhatu faster than he had thought possible. Even so, by the time he reached the waves lapping at the rocks, Sorkhatu had vanished under the water._ _

__He threw himself into the ocean. The salt water burned in his eyes, but he could see well enough to spot Sorkhatu's the pitch-black tail in the distance and swam after him._ _

__He could not reach him._ _

__The distance between them grew further and further, until Sorkhatu had all but vanished in the murky inlet water. Naught but a shadowy figure in the distance, a blurry shape that showed no indication of turning back._ _

__The pressure in his chest grew, much like it had but a few days prior when they had first met. Simultaneously, his father's warning echoed in his mind. It couldn't be true. Sorkhatu wouldn't just abandon him. He couldn't. Not after what they had shared. It wasn't possible._ _

__And yet, he wasn't coming back. Zenos could no longer see him. He needed to come up for air, but if he did, it all would…_ _

__Sorkhatu would…_ _

__It was too much. He opened his mouth and breathed in deeply._ _

__

__

__Zenos' body hit the rock with a thud. Despite the jarring impact, he didn't move._ _

__“You are by far the biggest idiot I have ever met,“ Sorkhatu groused as he hauled himself up on the rock and laid two fingers on Zenos' neck. He had a pulse, but he wasn't breathing._ _

__“What were you _thinking?_ “ Sorkhatu began pushing on his chest. The water in his lungs needed to get out, didn't it? That was how it worked, right? Landwalker physiology hadn't been a major part of his studies, but he remembered that much. “I could tell you liked the time I almost drowned you, but hells, don't do it by _yourself_!“_ _

__Some water trickled out of Zenos' mouth. Was it a sign that this was working? Should he press harder? Sorkhatu hesitated, then began pushing more forcefully. If he couldn't get Zenos to go back to breathing, it wouldn't matter if he hurt him with that._ _

__“Come on, breathe. Breathe, damn you! I'm not letting you die until I can properly thank you for getting me out of that wretched place.“_ _

__It started small, with a strangled cough, a convulsion running through Zenos' body. Sorkhatu hurriedly turned him over as much as he could before he shuddered and hacked up water. In between coughs he wheezed, trying to draw some measure of air into his lungs._ _

__Sorkhatu held on to him, so that when his arms buckled, he didn't smash face-first into the rock._ _

__“You're not going to die now, right? That was enough?“ he asked, though he knew Zenos wouldn't understand him. What a pain this language barrier was. They could have avoided all of this if they'd just been able to _talk_. If Zenos had been able to let him know that he _hadn't_ put him outside to catch today's dinner. _ _

__Zenos answered something, in a wavering voice he had not used before._ _

__In response, Sorkhatu poked him in the chest. “What did you do that for? If you wanted to go for a dive, why didn't you just wait? Did you think I was going to leave?“_ _

__That was probably it, wasn't it? He'd thought Sorkhatu wanted to swim away for good. Why he had put him outside was mystery still, but apparently catching fish had not been his intent._ _

__“You—“_ _

__Zenos pulled him into a tight embrace._ _

__That wasn't so bad, really. Zenos was a strange, strange person and Sorkhatu didn't have the slightest idea what was going on with him yet, but he did give excellent hugs, it turned out. Warm and tight. It bent Sorkhatu's body in an awkward way; he couldn't sit the way a landwalker could, but it was tolerable. Especially if it prevented Zenos from nearly killing himself a second time._ _

__But eventually enough was enough. Landwalkers didn't do well with being wet, or so Sorkhatu had heard. Better to get him back to the flying thing. He extricated himself from his arms—well, tried, as Zenos didn't seem to want to let go and possessed entirely too much strength, but it was enough to point at the shore, then back at Zenos and himself, and to the shore again._ _

__Zenos nodded—that was a way of communicating that worked, at least—and slipped towards the edge of the rocks. At least swimming him back to land would be easier than hauling him up here. Damned heavy man, he was._ _

__With a splash, they landed in the water. Sorkhatu took Zenos' hand and propelled them both to the shore. It would be faster that way. Those legs were no good for swimming, and after nearly drowning, he probably wasn't feeling too well either._ _

__(Wasn't it scary to dive underwater knowing that the water would fill his lungs if anything went wrong and he couldn't come back up fast enough? If Sorkhatu hadn't come back for him, he would have died. How any landwalker gathered up the bravery to descend into an element that wasn't their own was a mystery.)_ _

__They reached the shore without any further complications. Zenos stumbled ahead of Sorkhatu, then paused, turned around and picked him up. Weakened though he probably was, he didn't waver as he carried him back to the flying thing. How did they work, anyroad? Sorkhatu had often seen them from below, just off the coast of Othard. It was a question he had considered before, but never thought he would get an answer to._ _

__A filleted fish amidst shattered porcelain lay on the ground next to the ramp. Oh. So Zenos had planned on feeding him, then? How… forward. They hardly even knew each other. Did all landwalkers come on to each other so quickly? It was almost enough to make Sorkhatu blush._ _

__Zenos didn't pause to pick it up. He carried Sorkhatu right back into the flying machine, sat him down on a wooden box and opened a hidden compartment filled with clothing. Right. Landwalker clothing. He would probably feel better after replacing the wet ones he currently wore._ _

__It also had the secondary benefit of giving Sorkhatu a better idea of what a landwalker looked like naked. He had not had the opportunity to see one before. How strange of a body to simply _part_ at the hip instead of tapering off into a tail. How did they keep balance while walking? The entire weight of the body rested on those comparably small… feet. That was what they were called, he dimly remembered. It looked as if naught prevented him from simply falling over, and yet he even lifted one of them off the ground while changing his leg-coverings without so much as wavering._ _

__Then again, Zenos probably wondered the same about how he moved through the water._ _

__And in the end, Sorkhatu couldn't say his body was unappealing. Quite the opposite, in fact._ _

__Once Zenos had changed into a fresh but identical shift of clothing, he opened yet another compartment. Though it was difficult to see past his overly large body, Sorkhatu caught a glimpse of what looked like rows and rows of fish, neatly stacked upon each other._ _

__Was Zenos trying to marry him or something?_ _

__“We met only a few days ago,“ Sorkhatu said as Zenos pulled out one of the fillets. “Don't you think that's a bit early?“_ _

__As if he had understood him, Zenos didn't give him the fish. He placed it in yet _another_ compartment Sorkhatu hadn't seen. Did this thing have any actual walls at all? Was everything around him storage space? _ _

__Zenos said something. Sorkhatu didn't understand it, so he just consigned himself to waiting for him to finish whatever he was doing. He felt hungry, admittedly, but he could wait a little longer._ _

__When Zenos pulled the fish out of the compartment again, it was steaming. Huh. Fish grilled over fire (a supremely rare treat) did that, but this fish didn't look like it had been grilled, nor was there fire in sight._ _

__He took it when Zenos offered it to him anyway. Experimentally, he prodded at it. Definitely warm to the touch. Too warm to hold, in fact. Why hadn't he put it on a stick beforehand? He'd burn his hands at this rate._ _

__Then Zenos handed him a metal… thing. Sorkhatu examined it. It split into thin tips at one end. He looked from the implement to the fish, then back. It wasn't so hard to figure out how it was meant to be used._ _

__He stabbed the implement into the fish, which came apart into tiny pieces easily. Though he lost about half of them on the way to his mouth, the half that did make it was splendid. A choice cut, cooked evenly throughout. The kind of meal one would present to one's sweetheart._ _

__It was a good proposal, all in all. Overly hasty, to be sure, and Sorkhatu wasn't about to _accept_ immediately, but something to consider for a time when they could actually talk to one another._ _

__Speaking of which…_ _

__He pointed at the fillet with the implement and said, “Fish.“_ _

__Zenos, thankfully quick on the uptake, tried to repeat the word. It came out more as a mangled version of 'driftwood', but it was a start. With a few more repetitions, he'd probably get there. Over time, they would learn to communicate._ _

__And then perhaps figure out what they wanted to do with this strange newfound freedom they had._ _

**Author's Note:**

> Comments appreciated.


End file.
